Forever Neverland
by dr pepper upper
Summary: After falling deathly ill at the age of fourteen, Peter and Wendy's daughter is sent to Neverland with the intent of saving her from death. What follows is one awfully big adventure. Eventual femslash. Don't like it, don't read it!
1. Ends and Beginnings

The beautiful, conceited boy looked through the smudged window as the crowd of children and a few adults inside danced and sang and laughed. It was a happy sight, the happiest he had ever seen. It was not the first time he had looked through the window in such a fashion. He had done it a hundred times before to hear the stories told by the wonderful girl with the lilting laugh and the hidden kiss. The same hidden kiss that now belonged to him, and him alone.

He was going to throw that away. Peter Pan was preparing to turn away from that happy scene and fly back to Neverland alone, never looking back. Tinkerbell whispered in his ear like a thousand sins, each more tempting than the last, telling him to turn around and fly back home. The wind blew against him, urging him back to the second star to the right. The stars blinked at him in urgent bursts, telling him to hurry and run away. Peter had never disobeyed the stars before.

However, he found that he could not move his body. He simply could not turn his bright green eyes from the happiness that was taking place inside that house. All the Lost Boys had a family now, and they would be well cared for and loved dearly. Mrs. Darling was embracing each and every one, a bright smile on her kind face. Mr. Darling was playing with the boys, roughhousing them and laughing. Michael and John were joining in as well, guffawing and not caring who heard. Wendy stood by her mother; content to look down upon the hug procession and giggling when a few of the boys came back for a second hug. Peter could not take his eyes off of her glowing face, and absently touched his lips, the place where he now kept her hidden kiss. A memory flooded back to him that made him wince as he remembered his own words.

"_Peter, what are your feelings?" Wendy had asked, sounding almost scared. Peter, too, found that he was scared, and had a hard time answering. Finally, he choked out one word, not liking at all where this was headed._

"_Feelings?"_

"_What you feel," she'd clarified. She went on to list some of said feelings, one by one. "Happiness? Sadness? Jealousy?" Here, Peter interrupted with a name to put to a feeling, since that was all he knew._

"_Jealousy? Tink." Wendy had paused a moment before going on._

"_Anger?" She'd asked, watching Peter closely. This time, Peter did not hesitate in his answer._

"_Hook."_

"_Love?" That stopped the proud boy in his tracks._

"_Love?" He'd repeated, face going blank and backing away from Wendy. "I have never heard of it." He denied, quickly, defiantly._

"_But I think you have, Peter. I dare-say you've felt it, for something or... Someone?" This time, Peter felt like shaking with rage. She was such a girl, bringing all those feelings into a perfectly fine moment!_

"_Never. Even the sound of it offends me."_

He had been able to put names to the feelings of jealousy and hate, but love? He didn't know what love _was_. Did he feel it? Was it possible?

Tink was chattering more frantically in his ear, making a continuous buzzing sound that was becoming quite annoying. The wind picked up and pressed hard against his body, making him shiver. But the stars stopped their blinking. They watched with rapt attention as Peter sighed and leaned his head on the window. "To live… Would be an awfully big adventure," he whispered to himself, staring at Wendy with some unreadable expression.

But Tinkerbell pulled on his hair and tugged him away. He smiled, albeit sadly, and turned away. There was a bitter taste in his mouth that he could not spit away and the sadness was crippling his flight already. He had not gone far, for he was not going fast at all, before that sweet voice called to him. "Peter!" He rose just a bit at the sound of her desperate voice, happy to hear that she still wanted to call to him. He turned to face her and hovered in the air, waiting for her to speak. He put on his customary self-satisfied smirk, deflecting and hiding his feelings from her like he always did. But she knew better. She had seen him cry out at night because of nightmares. She had held onto him and shushed him. She had made him feel like he was going to be all right.

Wendy had tears in her eyes. She seemed to be fighting for something to say. Her perfect mouth was moving but no words could be heard. Peter frowned and flew to her, hovering above the ground right before her. The tears spilled in her blueberry colored eyes and made them look crystallized and so beautiful. This made Peter frown even more, and he reached out a hand to wipe away the tears. "People don't cry when they are with me," he said with his cocky air, grinning. As he went to withdraw his hand, Wendy caught it, holding the dirty hand within her own.

"Peter…" She started again, lips trembling. He waited. "S-stay."

It only took two words to convince him. He stared at her, grin fading. The tears came again. "I know you're scared of growing up, but Peter–" Peter clapped a hand over her mouth and looked up at the sky thoughtfully. The stars were blinking again, but only this time they were urging him in the right direction. Tinkerbell was screaming frantically and the wind was swirling around Peter and Wendy, trying to separate them. But the stars urged him on, blinking in a content fashion, telling him that this was right. Instead of answering Wendy with words, he just pulled her close and hugged her. Wendy sobbed happily and clung to him as the children and adults watched from inside with teary eyes.

"Love," Peter mused quietly, so that only Wendy could hear him. His whisper brought her breathing to a standstill, waiting for him to continue. He had been able to put names on jealousy and hate. Now was the time to put the name on love. "Love." He tried the word out on his lips again, and he was still scared of it. He trembled and was not sure if he would be able to go on. He hummed absently into Wendy's mussed hair, and calmed himself. It would be an awfully big adventure, and he wouldn't have to go through it alone. "Love. Wendy." It was a perfect end to a wonderful beginning.

Peter and Wendy were inseparable. He kept his last name Pan instead of changing it to Darling, like all the other Lost Boys did. He loved Wendy, and even though the wind was always challenging him and he always looked out to the brightly burning star on the right, he was happy because Wendy loved him too. They had their great adventure; their life together. Peter asked her to marry him right where he had found his love for her, and their wedding was a happy one. They braved one battle after another together, including the one of childbirth. Wendy had a son first, called James. He was perfect. He was healthy, active, and smart. Their daughter, Elizabeth, or 'Bet', as she was called, took after her father. She was cocky, conceited, and refused to grow up.

She was also sick.

She had been born under less than perfect conditions. She grew into a fourteen-year-old girl with a horrible immune system that eventually caught the Scarlet fever. With her immune system damaged as it was, there was little chance that she would live. She was a beautiful girl, too. She was given wild red hair and bright green eyes that were horrible as they were exotic. Her face was pretty but harsh. She had freckles all over her face. She was her father's pride and joy. Wendy, Peter, and James wept for their daughter and sister. Bet got worse and worse every day, until Peter came up with an idea while staring at the star that haunted his dreams so often.

Neverland healed. Neverland stopped growth, stopped sadness, stopped pain, and stopped sickness. Neverland was Bet's only hope. Neverland, hearing his calls, answered by sending a fairy called Eitri. The concept over Neverland and the story behind it was told to Bet, and she came to realize that she would be saved. The relief tricked over her like a laughing brook, cool and refreshing. She went without a tear, though Peter, Wendy, and James cried long and hard as she flew away from them. Peter stood staring at the direction she was going even when he couldn't see her any more. Wendy stood by him, holding him and shushing him like in the old days. His tears ceased as he watched the Neverland star suddenly grow brighter than the moon in the sky. Neverland was welcoming a Pan home.

Through his tears, Peter smiled and crowed in his old way. "To live will be an awfully big adventure."


	2. Trouble Plus Ten

_Author's Note: I realized I hadn't welcomed you readers! Well, hello, and I hope you enjoy this story. I don't know if you will, but I ask you to give it a chance. This is an idea of mine that I've had for a while, but I don't know where I'm going with it, or even if I'm going anywhere at all. _

_Neverland is not my own, but my characters are. Please don't steal them. Sit back, relax, review, flame, love it, hate it, just do something with it._

The island was quiet. It was not silent, no. Neverland was never silent. There was always _something_ moving, making noise. If it wasn't Pan and the Lost Boys whooping and hollering, it was the Indians howling and beating their drums. If it wasn't the Indians, it was the mermaids splashing and singing, or the pirates shouting and firing guns and cannons. If it wasn't any of them, it was the beasts or fairies, going on about their lives. Neverland was always full of life and never _ever_ dull.

Nevertheless, it was still quiet. Sometimes quiet was a good thing. Sometimes it meant everyone on the island was sleeping peacefully. Sometimes the quiet didn't have such a good meaning. Sometimes it meant one of the groups of living things was planning to attack another. In the still night, with tension thick in the air and rippling over the water as if a swarm of raindrops was assaulting it. No one knew the reason for the tension yet, except for one of the groups.

A pirate ship was anchored in Cannibal Cove, just as it had always been, back to the days of Peter Pan. These were all new pirates and the ship was not the _Jolly Roger_. There was nothing jolly about it. The ship was called _The Bitter Hangnail_. While that was a name to be mocked, it also had merit. Nobody liked a hangnail. The ship and her crew were blissfully unaware that the Lost Boys and their leader were planning to carry out an attack that night. It had always been that way, the pirates and the Lost Boys going back and forth at one another. It was just natural. The grown ups hated the children, and the children hated the grown ups. If one of the children ever grew up, they were sent to the pirates and became one of them.

It did not work the other way around.

The Lost Boys and their leader were hiding behind a great rock in Cannibal Cove, listening closely to the clamor of the pirates on the ship, their drunken voices yelling, some raised in a clumsy song. One of the Lost Boys grimaced at the sound. "Frightful sound," he muttered with a scowl. He was a good singer and knew when one was awfully off tune. It grated on his ears and made him wince horribly. Another of the boys shushed him impatiently as they looked to their leader, waiting for the signal to go. The leader climbed up onto the top of the rock and stood proudly, hands on hips and looking with terrible green eyes at their target.

_The Bitter Hangnail_ was a big ship. The layout of the ship was simple, however, and the Lost Boys had it memorized to the cross of a 't'. There were ten Lost Boys, plus their leader, and that was enough to cause a little havoc. The island breathed with them, the anxiousness slipping away from their shoulders as a sudden rain fell, the island favoring them. It always favored Pan. The heavy rain gave the eleven troublemakers cover and made their flight to _The Bitter Hangnail_ invisible to the pirates.

They flew silent with the fairy Eitri behind them, sprinkling then with his dust whenever one of them faltered in their flight. They were soon landing quietly on the deck of the ship, casting wary glances around as they landed. Daggers were pulled out and each one was on the alert. Their leader, however, foolish and unafraid of the lumbering buffoons, snuck up to the stairs leading to the great wheel of the ship. All was quiet, most of the pirates had passed out in their drunken states, and some were below having some sleep.

"Cor, ain't this a sight for sore eyes! Eh, gents?" There stood the Lost Boys' leader in all her glory, leaning against the grand railing with a cocky, self-satisfied air. The pirates that heard her voice blinked their ugly eyes open in apparent confusion, each wondering about the new voice upon the howling wind. Elizabeth Marianne Pan looked like a force to be reckoned with, even in her eternal young age of fourteen. Her wild red hair blew in the wind and was soaked by the rain. Her green eyes could be seen from the lower deck, blazing with a lust that no man would ever want. It was not of passion, but a lust after blood. She grasped her dagger in her hand, smiling malevolently down at the drunken pirates as they stumbled up and saw her.

She was dressed in the leaves found in the forest. Thick greens had been sewn roughly together to fashion a shirt and pants. She needed no more than that. The wind and rain swirled angrily around her, making her seem more dangerous than ever before. The men whispered and jeered her, even though there was a sinking in some of their hearts that one only gets when they know they will face death and will be conquered by it. Unsatisfied by the lack of response from any of the men, Bet threw her head back and crowed loudly, rising into the air as she did so.

The loud sound made the crew sleeping below wake up, and stirred the captain who sighed long and hard at the sound. Just as Peter Pan had his rival, Captain Charles Ardmore was Bet's rival. She was the reason he had an eye patch over his left eye socket (for there was no eye there), and he was the reason for the never healed lesion down her back. He felt the attacks a childish cry for attention, and she just wanted to kill him.

"This has gone on quite long enough, Pan," the smooth, reasonable voice broke the silence that the ship had been enduring. "Give up your little game and leave us be." It was an extremely reasonable request, nothing challenging about it, but still Bet sneered and shifted the dagger in her hands.

"Never!" The defiant cry came and the Lost Boys, who had been in hiding the entire time, let out a loud cry and came surging forward, startling even the captain. The man had to spring quickly away to avoid getting gutted by one of the boys. Bet came flying down as well, laughing and engaging a pirate in a fierce fight as the pirate ship exploded to life with shouts and the clangs of iron. The captain easily kept every attacker at bay and watched the young Pan. _Her love for fighting will be her downfall,_ he remarked almost sadly. He watched as one of his men fell to her dagger.

The boys fought with skill. One had the brilliant plan of sneaking from the shadows to attack occupied pirates. His name was Collin, and he was a bright, tall boy with sandy hair and a pale complexion. He was a favorite of Bet's, mostly because he always proved himself prudent in a battle. He sighted a particularly ugly and drunk pirate advancing on one of his 'brothers' as the Lost Boys called one another. He crept out of his place in the shadows and snuck up behind the fat, ugly pirate with tattoos all down his arms, neck, and even over his face. Without hesitation, the boy reached up and around the pirate's neck, and before the ugly man could do anything, his throat was sliced open and the blood spurted everywhere. He fell to the deck and Collin, happy with his success, slipped back into the shadows after catching Bet's approving nod.

The fighting was becoming a frenzy, and the Lost Boys were winning. Bet was laughing, her clothes spattered with blood as she faced off with the captain. "You're a silly girl whose own pleasure will be her downfall," remarked the captain as he fought with her. He sounded as if he was discussing the weather. Bet sneered at him and advanced again, rolling out of the way when a hard blow came to her.

"Never!"

She dashed to the side and grabbed one of the flickering lanterns. The light made her face look eerie and otherworldly, and not in a good way. Blood was upon her face, matching her red hair and contrasting with her wild eyes, burning with the animalistic hunger that a killer knew. One had to wonder who really was the evil one in this situation, the pirate or the girl. "You won't defeat us!" The girl screamed defiantly as she threw the lantern down onto the deck, creating a little fire. She laughed maniacally and crowed loudly, the sound making the pirates wince but the Lost Boys cheered wildly for their leader.

She flung herself over the deck and plummeted down, down, and down, only pulling up and flying into the air right before she smacked into the water. If nothing else, Bet was an utter show off and disgusted the captain with her antics. The boys also vanished, but not after taking some of the pirates' loot, just to spite them. Angered, the captain raised his face to the sky and shouted after his enemy. "You will regret this, Pan!" The wind carried back her carefree laugh.

They all raced back to the hideout in the hollow tree, whooping and hollering, laughing and recounting the attack in an uproar. Bet was sprawled in her big chair in the middle of the room, a golden crown placed haphazardly on her red head. She grinned as the boys roughhoused one another, laughing and screaming and jeering the pirates. They praised one another, and they praised Bet most of all. In their eyes, she could do no wrong. _It's good to be king_, Bet thought with a smirk as she wiped the blood off of her hands and face.


	3. A Day in the Life

_Author's Note: All right, chapter three! Have fun, enjoy, and anticipate a twist coming up very soon! Muahaha? This is a glimpse of a life with the pirates, Bet, and the mermaids. I hope you like it! Reviews are most welcome, as is constructive criticism. I like to know what you think, my darlings._

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_The Bitter Hangnail_ was plagued with the flames that Bet had started, and the pirates were doing all they could to stop the fire. Water was thrown like waterfalls from the upper deck and pirates scattered like ants, beating it out whenever they could. The captain watched with weary eyes as his men shouted and ran and poured and panicked. His hand met his forehead and he sighed deeply. It wasn't like this had never happened before, of course. The Lost Boys and their leader had done damage hundreds of times. The pirates had yet to find out _their _hiding place. They had not yet been able to retaliate against the troublemaking Lost Boys and Pan.

Charles Ardmore had been in Neverland longer than anyone on his ship. He could not remember where he was from, nor did he ever feel the impulse to leave and go find out. For a pirate, he wasn't a very keen on going out and sailing for months on end. He had business on the island and he found it sufficient enough to live by. He lived a comfortable life, when Pan and the Lost Boys weren't around, and he was a good captain for his crew. He was not unbearably harsh and he _tried,_ oh, so hard to be patient with the bumbling buffoons.

Those same buffoons, however, were doing quite a fine job with putting the fire out. There was minimal damage to the ship that could be repaired the next day and it didn't seem as though the fire had harmed any of the crew, besides the ones that had already fallen to the Lost Boys and Pan.

"Men!" His loud voice boomed over the pirate ship and the crew stopped what they were doing immediately to turn and look up at the imposing figure that was Captain Charles Ardmore. The crewmembers almost worshipped the ground he walked on and did whatever he said without question or complaint. They were like dogs to their master and Charles wasn't sure how he felt about that. It was almost like they were all of one brain and that one brain was very small. "The fire is out. You have all done your jobs and the storm is coming again. Go below and get some rest." The command was met with enthusiasm as the men clamored down below and went for some much needed rest. The captain himself went into his cabin and rested in his chair.

His tired head rested on his calloused palm as he stared blankly down at the map of Neverland in front of his eye. They had taken the attacks and had never tried to fight back. Why not? They were not innocent children, for they had committed the sin of stealing and murdering more times than they could probably count. They never cared how badly they hurt anyone. All they cared about was adventure and stories and fighting as all children did. Charles had grown a distinct distaste for children. The word tasted sour in his mouth when he spoke it and he burned with anger when he saw the destruction that the children had caused.

Whether they knew it or not, they were not making the island better. They were only destroying it.

A soft knock interrupted the captain's musings and his first mate, James Bennett, stepped in. He closed the door and leaned on it in silence for several minutes and watched the captain mulling over his map. "Th' men are all asleep safe an' sound, cap'n," he informed Charles with a tired sigh. The captain only nodded and continued staring at the old map in front of him. "What d'ya s'pose they were after this time?" Charles shook his head at his first mate.

"Nothing, as usual," he replied, frowning deeply and adjusting his eye patch. It was true that Pan and the Lost Boys never really were _after_ anything. Attention maybe, but they didn't steal much of anything; except for the time they raided the pirate's kitchen for food when they were all out. Charles hadn't begrudged them that because at the time he had been under the mindset that they _were_ only children after all and didn't know any better. He had a feeling that that assumption had never been true.

"What's the plan, then?" There was a pause after James' question. The captain took off his eye patch, putting a hand over the empty socket where another blue eye once was.

"We're fighting back."

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The island was finally quiet. The boys and Bet had been roughhousing each other until the morning light. The hideout was filled with the noises of snoring children all piled up on one another. None had gotten to their beds, as they had all crashed almost simultaneously, and quite literally one on top of another. It wasn't until much later in the day that one of them finally sat up and rubbed his sleep filled eyes. He was one of the smaller ones, called Little Henry, and he was timid and shy. He was one of Bet's personal favorites, seeing as he didn't talk or ask questions much.

When Little Henry got up and moved out from the pile, he took into account the placement of the sun, and gasped. They had slept the whole day away! If there was one thing Pan didn't like it was a wasted day. Flustered and worried, the little boy scurried to the pile and roused Collin, Bet's right hand man. The dark, lanky boy blinked his eyes open and saw Little Henry as worried as Collin had ever seen him. Instantly alert, Collin sprang to his feet, waking up a few of the other boys as well. Bet still slept soundly in her chair, long limbs sprawled all over.

Within just a few minutes, every one of the boys was in a silent frenzy, hopping up and down, scurrying this way and that, closing the windows and making sure none of the light got in. "All we have to do, gents, is make sure she doesn't go outside and see the sun," explained Collin quite clearly. It was quite a brilliant plan, of course and the boys tittered to themselves with the cleverness of it all. They had never before been able to trick their leader before, and this was just perfect! They had it all planned out just in time, because right after they had set the plan, Bet opened her eyes and was awake.

She yawned and stretched and the popping sounds that came from her joints were quite alarming, even to Bet herself. "Mornin' lads," she yawned out, her now scratchy voice accompanied with more pops as she stretched again. The boys ran over to her and were all babbling at once, greeting her with all their versions of good morning and commenting on the weather and saying how Bet herself looked a bit pale and sickly. Eyebrows went up and the corner of her mouth lifted slightly in a smile she was trying to hide. Luckily for her, the boys were so engrossed in their game that they didn't notice. "What's all this, then?" She asked, pulling her face into a frown and standing.

The boys immediately got into their line as their leader spoke. It went from tallest to smallest, starting with Collin and ending with Henry. All in all, it went like this: Collin, Roger, Jack, Ralph, Robert, Christopher, Johnny, Timothy, Alex, and Henry. Dirty faces looked up in fear at Bet as she rose up into the air and looked down on them all. "N-nothin', Bet. 'Honest!" Collin spoke up first, and all the boys chorused it back. Bet, seeming pleased with this answer, floated back to the ground.

"You don't look too good, Bet. Feelin' alright?" Asked Jack, his brow furrowing as he mussed up his fair hair, obviously trying to look extremely concerned. Bet frowned a little and put her hand to her forehead.

"Well, to say th' truth, I think it would help me if I went out and got some fresh air," she replied, sighing a little. The boys looked to one another, each one fretting in his mind over what to do.

"Alright. Let's go outside then," answered Collins, his brain racing to keep up with this new development, a crinkle in their brilliant plan. They all marched outside, Bet leading, each one as uneasy as the other. However, to their immense relief, Bet didn't seem the least bit interested in the sky. In fact, it was quite the opposite. She had her bright green eyes mostly fixed on the ground, occasionally pointing out some interesting bug along the way. She did occasionally make as if she were going to glance up at the sky, but these were all false alarms, though they did scare each of the boys quite a bit. In fact, Timothy actually fainted because of his fear along the way. He was a whiney boy anyway and was frequently wailing because of sickness or some injury or the heat, so they just let him lie.

They got to Mermaid Lagoon without Bet even mentioning how the sun looked so low or how it felt a little colder than it normally did. They all sprawled out on the big rock that was used for sunbathing, napping, and diving and prepared for a relaxing time.

It _was_ relaxing, until a sudden yell was heard and a great splash, wetting all the boys on the rock. With cries of surprise, they all jumped up, ready for an attack, when a familiar crowing noise sounded from up above them. Bet hovered in the sky, howling with laughter as Collin swam in the Lagoon below. He was fully clothed and looking very annoyed. Bet had picked him up while he was asleep, flown upwards and then chucked him into the water. She grinned down at all the other boys, and flew at them, sending them two by two or by threes into the water with mighty heaves and lifts. When all were good and soaking wet, Bet sat on the rock with Eitri, her fairy friend, on her shoulder and laughed until she couldn't breathe. When she stopped laughing and regained her breath, she mocked them from up above in a singsong voice.

"That'll teach you to try and trick _me_!" The boys groaned and shook their heads. Never would they be able to trick their cunning leader.

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The mermaids enjoyed it when the children came to play in their lagoon. They brought life and laughter and amusement to their simple lives, for there wasn't much to do if you were a mermaid. They considered their lives to be quite boring. Living under the sea wasn't all it was cracked up to be. There were some amazing sights that only their eyes had been able to see, yes, but each one longed to have legs like the children, to run and jump off the rock like the children.

They were beautiful people, in their own way. They all looked different, though their scales were the same blue/grey color that matched the color of the lagoon. They were mysterious people that dwelled in little homes in the rock and coral that lined the lagoon. During the day they were most excellent people, polite and never intruding on the children's games, though they sometimes joined in. The children brought some color into their lives with laughter and joy. Though they did not speak the language the children, pirates, and Indians did, they could still understand a few words and sounds.

The crowing sound was what alerted them of the children's presence. When they heard Elizabeth Pan's crow, they were out their doors and surfacing to see the children at play. It was no different today as the mermaids in their deep homes could hear a great splash. It was silent for a time more until they heard the great crow and laughing of Bet. All at once, the more social mermaids were out of their doors and surfacing. Bet grinned her cocky grin at them as she sighted them rising from the depths, but they motioned for the girl to stay quiet. Bet just kept on laughing and crowing, rolling around on the rock in her mirth.

The mermaids went under the water again and swam slowly up to the thrashing boys in the water, who had taken to splashing each other and laughing as well. One of the mermaids swam up underneath Ralph, who was laughing and swimming towards the shore. One webbed hand flew out and caught the boy by the ankle, momentarily dragging him down under the water. Ralph screamed in his surprise and the boys stopped their game as the mischievous mermaids pulled down one by one underneath the water. Of course, they were released very soon after they were pulled under, but the mermaids found this extremely fun and kept on doing it. The boys, after figuring out the game, started swimming after the mermaids and pulling on _their_ tails and it was great fun.

Bet, tired of being left out of the fun, dived in as well and joined the game. She was a faster swimmer than most of the boys put together and was able to catch the mermaids that pulled her under. It was a delightful game of back and forth and left both groups in belly aching laughter.

The most playful mermaid, a younger one, pulled Bet down again and held her there, grinning at her from under the water as Bet opened her green eyes and grinned back.

After the game was over and all were tired, the Lost Boys and Pan trooped out of the water, the boys turning straight for home and sleep. Bet turned, waved, and crowed to the mermaids again, silently promising that they would be back, and the mermaids went back to their homes with smiles on their faces.

All on the island were satisfied.


	4. Hard Reality, Hard Ground

_Well, well, well. Let the story really begin! If the nightmare scene doesn't make much sense, I'm sorry. It's not really supposed to yet, so just hang in there. I don't really know what came over me when I was writing that but… Well, I liked it. Creepy, huh? But yes. What's happening to Bet? Who is this face? What's going to come up next?_

_Read and find out! (Don't forget to review… I don't know what you guys think of this fic yet!)_

_Barbiegirl 22 – The captain believes that she is not helping Neverland, she is just destroying it with her childish ways and love for fighting, I guess. And I hadn't thought of making the captain be an ex-Lost Boy. I might just have to incorporate that idea, if that's all right with you. ;]_

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The night passed quietly on the island, without any disturbances of any kind. The children, tired after a day full of play and adventure collapsed in their beds without even eating supper. The boys barely made it to their beds before their eyes closed and they went off into dreamland. Bet stayed awake long enough to shake her head at them before she, too, fell into her bed.

A peace crept along the island like a snake slithering through leaves and plants on the ground. It enveloped anything it touched with an embrace as soft as a lover's, gifting a lovely content feeling on all it caressed. The beasts were quiet and did not scurry into frenzy when a bird suddenly took wing, or if the wind blew a little too hard and made a whistling sound as it blew across Neverland. The Indians were at peace and did not hunt that night. Even the pirates, with their hearts set on revenge, did not do anything to disturb the peace. Even the mermaids could feel it in the water and were quiet. This same thing happened every single night.

There was one person that the calm did not touch, however, one who tossed and turned and groaned in the night. Fire was licking at Bet's skin, a nightmare crawling up into her mind like a spider creeping slowly and deliberately toward its prey. The fire flashed behind her twitching lids as her eyes moved restlessly in sleep. Fingers moved spastically as her body thrashed horribly. The spider of the nightmare bit its venom into Bet's skin and the terrible green eyes flashed open, body now writhing as the unseeing eyes stayed in the nightmare. Terrified screams bubbled from her throat and the fire raged on.

The Lost Boys did not wake, not one did stir. The calm that descended on the island was stifling, deafening. Not one heard her cries, not one could come to her aid, and so the nightmare went on.

Bet's cries did not cease; they only intensified as the fire burned hotter, torturing her as the nightmare plagued her mind. The green eyes were wide and terrified, obviously seeing what the nightmare was showing her.

_She was running. "Faster, faster, __**faster**__!" She was chanting to herself as her feet hit the ground with heavy thuds. She sprinted through the familiar jungle, desperately pushing the plants and unsuspecting beasts and fairies out of the way as she continued her reckless pace through the forest. A quick glance behind her confirmed that her pursuers were still behind her. Pirates, Indians, and children raced after her, clutching spears or daggers or swords and yelling wildly. _

_Her legs worked so hard that she was sure they would fall off any time. Sweat poured down into her eyes, blurring her eyesight and making it harder to run. Her breath was non-existent and when she did breathe it was one long, ragged breath that sounded like it was rattling against something in her body and only caused her more pain. The hunters were falling behind her, slowing as she raced ahead. If she were under any other circumstances, she would have jeered and laughed but she had not the breath and her legs just kept going. She heard shouting behind her and turned her head, catching a glimpse of one of the faceless hunters putting his torch to the plants and setting fire to the island. _

_She cried out in fury as the fire caught, racing fast to catch up with her. It was faster, hungry with the same bloodlust that she was familiar with. The angry red flames cut across her path and when she tried to stop her legs, she found with horror that she could not. She screamed as she stepped into the laughing fire, merry as she burned and writhed and wailed._

_She kept running, forever moving her legs as the fire devoured her. She raced right into Mermaid Lagoon, quenching the fire and putting it out. She was black and burnt and suddenly there was water all around her, gushing into her mouth like a sad, broken dam. Gruesome figures that could have been the mermaids dragged her down, ignoring her attempts to get away and drowning her. It was cold, so very cold, and even though she had stopped breathing she could still see. As she was dragged lower and lower by the awful visions of the friends she used to have, her ever-wide eyes saw a sight that would have made her scream and yell and want to die if she had not been dead already._

_A young woman floated in the black water as well, flesh as white as snow. Long, pale hair spread around her like spikes, turning red with the blood that was drifting up from her sliced open abdomen. Her eyes were closed and her arms were spread wide, perfectly shaped fingers limp and blue. Bet's open eyes stared at the awful scene, floating just a few feet away from her. There was something in the girl's open belly, a little hand was just poking out, blue and cold and definitely not alive. It was her eternal punishment, to stay awake and look at this scene forever. As she stared, the woman's eyes suddenly opened and stared back at Bet. If she were able to, she would have screamed._

"_Summer is over," the blue lips moved and Bet could hear the words, though only bubbles were released from the woman's lips as she stared with her crystal clear blue eyes into Bet's terrible green ones. The little hand poking from the abdomen moved and a shrill cry pierced the water, penetrating Bet's ears, rupturing and damaging and torturing and killing. The fire raged on above the water, turning it an awful red and boiling. Bet was lost to the sea, eternally bound in the water and still the fire burned, laughed, devoured and the hunters still pursued._

With one last trembling scream, Bet was shaken into uncomfortable consciousness as the calm wore on. Her breath came out in panting gasps and she was soaked with sweat, plastering herhair to her forehead and neck. She was feverish and burning up, sticky and unable to regain her breath. She was sobbing loudly, pressing her face into her makeshift pillow and trembling horribly. She was glad of the deafening calm, as always, for what would the boys say if they could see their strong, proud leader now?

Bet's dirty fingers raked into her hair and clutched desperately while she rocked herself to and fro on the bed. Her eyes were shut tightly, willing the images and feelings and _fire_ away from her. It was a considerable amount of time before she calmed down, right before dawn. She could see the sun just barely peeking into the window and she knew what that meant. The calmness would be receding soon and she had to get her act together before the boys saw her in such a state. She got up unsteadily and stumbled to the door, letting herself out and beginning the trek to Mermaid Lagoon.

Time was slow and so was Bet. She couldn't seem to push her legs faster than a walk, and even then she was barely moving. She finally reached the cool, refreshing water, kneeled in the sand and splashed at her face. It helped cool her down for a bit. At least, it made her more aware of her surroundings and she was able to function a bit better. She took off her strange garment of sewn together leaves and stepped into the water, not daring to go out into the open water. Instead, she laid down in the shallow part and washed the sweat and dirt off of herself there.

Even then, when she had spent as much time as she dared at the lagoon, she was not calm. Tears still trickled down her freckled face randomly as she stared into the clear blue color of the water, remembering just how red it had been in her dream and how much suffering she had felt.

_I can't face the boys today,_ she thought to herself, running a tired hand down her still hot face. She was still running a fever, though of course she was not aware of it, had not eaten anything since the day she had attacked the pirates, and was sicker than she knew. Before she even began to think of a plan to avoid the boys, a familiar comforting little light landed on her shoulder and tugged at her hair. She tried to smile for Eitri, but it came out a sob as she hugged her knees, burying her face in her arms to hide the tears. Eitri did not chatter at her, he simply sat on her shoulder and ran his tiny little hands comfortingly on the smooth skin.

"I'm gonna go get another Lost Boy," she announced suddenly, her head finally rising from her arms. She wiped the evidence of sorrow and fear away from her face and stood, swaying as she did so. Eitri chattered frantically at her, pleading her for to stay, saying how she looked sick and needed rest. Bet didn't listen to any of his warnings, and only said, "Tell th' boys where I am, an' then come find me." There was no room for argument in her voice as she shakily stepped onto the familiar rock at the lagoon and vaulted off into the air. There was a moment of breathtaking fear as she plummeted a few feet. Eitri raced to her and directed his dust at her, aiding her flight and sending her on her way.

Flying required little to no physical exertion, but still Bet was sweating and her vision occasionally became blurred on her journey to Earth. If she were in her normal state of mind, she would be playing with the stars, trying to blow them out and talking to them. But she was silent and they were silent and she just didn't have the energy to try. In fact, she barely had any energy at all. There was a searing pain down her back, and her trembling sickness only intensified as she breached through to Earth and closed in on New York City. Of course, Bet didn't know where the hell she was; she just flew to the nearest place she could see.

It was loud and hurt her ears in the new place. Bet's vision was spinning, her fever raging and her power of flight failing with her lack of concentration. "No!" She heard herself shout as she lost her control, spiraling downwards as the full impact of her weakness exploded on her like the laughing fire from her dreams. The air was heavy and Bet found it hard to breathe as the pain in her back flared again. That pain was only the beginning, because after she found herself falling, she hit hard, solid ground and tried to land on her feet like she was so used to doing. She heard an awful cracking sound before a whole new kind of pain was made known to her.

Her legs gave out and she collapsed to the hard ground as reality surged around her. Her eyes rolled up and her arched body fell limply onto the ground of a busy New York park.

She regained consciousness briefly and only once after that. A loud sound was wailing and people were crowded around her, looking to each other and back to her, whispering and exclaiming, hands over their hearts mouths open in shock. Bet felt herself being lifted and cried out against the pain, attempting to thrash from the unwelcome grip. When she glimpsed a face above hers with blue eyes, fair hair and pale skin, Bet lost consciousness again, and did not wake up.


End file.
